LEAGUE TWO. SATURDAY, 15th FEBRUARY 2025.

Many Unhappy Returns for Ged Brannan.

Morecambe started a run of three consecutive home games in League Two this afternoon with a visit from east Lancashire neighbours Accrington Stanley. Stanley have been the Shrimps’ Nemesis ever since both have been members of the Football League. They’ve met thirty times altogether and Accrington have won over half of these meetings – sixteen – and only lost five. However, in their last four league meetings, Morecambe have lost only once and won two matches, one of these at the Crown Ground last season when – irony of all ironies – they were managed by Stanley’s current deputy boss Ged Brannan. Earlier this season, though, Normal Service was resumed as Accrington took a two-goal lead against a truly pathetic Shrimps outfit on their own patch until the visitors belatedly shook themselves, pulled a goal back and started to actually compete. Too little and far too late: Derek Adams’ team finally deservedly lost 2-1. It is worth remembering what Derek had to say about this at the time:

“We put in our worst performance of the season in that first half. I thought that we were terrible. It was exceptionally poor. That was a huge disappointment. Coming into a game like this and putting on your worst performance, it wasn’t good. We didn’t play to the levels that we have done this season. I’ve said that to the players. We’re in tomorrow morning now because we can’t accept it – we can’t accept the level of today’s performance. We need to be better than we were today in the game. We can’t accept the level of today’s performance – it was way below the standards that we have set. We can’t leave it to the dying stage of the game to mount an effort. They need to understand that. They need to understand what it is to be a professional football player. The players have to take responsibility. Today, we weren’t at it. I can’t accept that. Today, I can’t back them with a performance like that.”

Since then, both clubs have continued to struggle. John Doolan’s men arrived in twentieth position in League Two. They were seven points better off than their hosts prior to today’s contest and had also played one game fewer. Their form is pretty poor: only one win in their last six league games but three defeats, the most recent at Bradford last Tuesday where they lost by the only goal of the match. But Morecambe’s form is even worse: a single victory in their last six fixtures and a solid five losses. They languish in the basement of the entire EFL, cushioned only by Carlisle United right at the bottom of the pile. United lost Mark Hughes’ second game in charge last Tuesday to the only goal of a game at Newport during which they enjoyed 60% possession. But with the second loss in a row went their game in hand over the Shrimps. On the Wirral on the same evening, Tranmere and Fleetwood could not conjure a goal between them and Rovers lost their game in hand advantage over Morecambe as well, staying well within reach only one place and four precious points ahead in twenty-second position in League Two.

For the visitors, John Doonan included several familiar faces in the shapes of  Donald Love,  Ash Hunter and recent signing Charlie Brown in his squad today. But it was left to Assistant Manager Ged Brannan to assess the task facing his current team against the one he managed this time last year. It goes without saying that Our Ged would be “Buzzin’” and “Made-Up” if his new employers got anything out of the game but he also said:

“It’s more than three points; it’s bragging rights for the fans and it is a massive derby. We took the three points in the home game and we will be going there for the three points too. Accrington and Morecambe are very similar clubs. It’s an important game for everyone. If we win, we go ten points clear of them, if they win, they get closer to us. It’s a tough game for everyone. It’s a pity it’s a fight at the bottom and not at the top, as they are two good clubs. It will be strange for me going back. The squad has changed a lot but there are friends behind the scenes. I am mates with Derek Adams, but that goes for a few managers in the league. Once the whistle goes, we don’t talk and we let each other get on with it. But after the match, we will chat about the game. There are a lot of connections and it’s one of those games where all the players know how important it is. The players don’t need building up for this. They are right up for it. We will give them tips of how we want to play and how they play – and our game-plan – but once they cross the white line, it’s up to them.”

As far as King Derek is concerned, he was hoping that the problems which have beset his team all season – needless mistakes and an inability to take good chances – would not be repeated this afternoon. But he also made it clear that he was far from happy with the standard of Refereeing he has witnessed so far this campaign. Asked if he ever thought `why me?’ when his team has lost games this season, he replied:

“Yes, the majority of time when I see some of the officiating on a Saturday. I think it’s been really poor. I think that the number of decisions which haven’t gone our way this year has been astronomical. We have a Championship Referee in charge on Saturday in Andy Davies. I think that is important. It doesn’t make it right that we get a big one for this game when we’ve had officiating which hasn’t been correct from the point of view of major decisions that have affected us from a points point of view. If they’re making too many mistakes, they shouldn’t be in League Two – they should be not refereeing at all.”

Bearing in mind the defeat at Notts County last time out, he added:

“(That) performance; we have been really encouraged by. It’s just the major aspects have been – as I keep on saying – individual errors. We’ve made so many of them when we’ve been on top of a game. We haven’t capitalised on the errors that other teams have made when we’ve been on top of the game. They’re the main aspects we have to improve on. It’s an opportunity for us to get three points. We understand how Accrington play; we understand what they do. We need to win the next game. We need to win more games than the team that’s above us at this moment of time. We need to win more games than the team that’s below us. That’s the reality of the situation. The game is simple, complicated by idiots: we’ve got to win football matches.”

The game started under overcast skies with a strongish cold breeze sweeping across the ploughed field of a pitch from the sea not all that far away to the north. The surface was as bad as I have ever seen it at this venue but it didn’t stop both teams playing some neat, progressive football throughout the game. For me at least, Accrington were a revelation. Previous incarnations of today’s team have always included plenty of physically big players and several bruisers who were prepared to mix it with anybody and all too willing to indulge in the Dark Arts at every possible opportunity. Today, though, they actually played football – and during the first half at least, they were the better side in my opinion.

Having said that, the hosts had the first chance of the game when Andy Dallas forced visiting goalkeeper Billy Crellin to palm an excellent shot away to safety after just three minutes.  But just two minutes later, Stanley could – and should – have taken the lead. A superb pass from the back left the home rearguard completely flat-footed as an unmarked Tyler Walton had a clear run on goal. But Ryan Schofield raced from his line and denied him with a tremendous save and the chance was squandered. The same players were involved again after just over a quarter an hour when Schofield made another good save. Would it be Third Time Lucky for Walton? No it wouldn’t: he tried an audacious lob from the Stanley left with 22 minutes played but the ball crashed back off the crossbar and over with the home stopper miles away from it. Undaunted, he tried his luck again after half an hour with a powerful long-range strike which went only just wide of the target.

At the other end, Gwion Edwards had forced Crellin into a routine save with nineteen minutes on the clock but the visiting goalkeeper was troubled a bit more when he did well to keep out a shot from Callum Cooke which was deflected with only three minutes of the first half left.

So the men in the Royal Blue strip went back to the Dressing Rooms at the break regretting their missed chances. On another day – and with a bit more luck – Walton alone could have scored a hat-trick and I thought that Stanley looked sharper and quicker than the Shrimps in almost everything they did.

Neither Manager made any changes at half time and the game re-started to progress in much the same way as it had done earlier. Morecambe had a lot of possession but the visitors always looked dangerous on the break. With ten minutes played, Accrington conceded a free-kick in a dangerous position but hit the Shrimps with a lightning fast counter-attack when this came to nothing. So it was really ironic that Morecambe immediately hit back. From some way out, Morecambe Skipper Lee Hendrie played a long pass forward. The Stanley defence allowed it to bounce and an unmarked Lee Angol scored with a superbly-flighted instant header which looped over a helpless Crellin from the right edge of the six-yard box from his point of view.

Accrington’s response was to slightly lose their discipline. Ex Morecambe Captain Donald Love was booked for dissent after an hour and roundly booed by the home crowd as he was replaced by Charlie Brown – who nobody jeered – with only a few minutes left. Championship Ref Andy Davies also booked someone on the Stanley bench as the visitors tried and failed to get back into the match.

The Man in the Middle was a breath of fresh air today. Some of the poor decisions from officials which Derek Adams complained about before the game no doubt refer to League Two referees’ penchant for booking his players for innocuous offences. Today, nobody on the home team got a yellow card – but three Stanley players did. Can we have him every week?

John Doolan had shaken things up with two changes after about an hour and three more before the end of the match. To no effect. The new line-up never managed to threaten the Shrimps in the way the original one had during the first half and they fell further behind with only a couple of minutes scheduled to play. This time, substitute Yann Songo’o set-up fellow sub and debutant Ged Garner for an instant shot which Crellin could only parry. The ball started to spin slowly away from him and – as he desperately scrambled to shovel it away – crossed the goal-line to his left before he could make contact with it.

So that was it: what turned-out to be an unpromising display by half time blossomed into a well-deserved victory. The precious three points improved the Shrimps’ parlous position at the bottom of League Two considerably. The two Uniteds from Carlisle and Colchester couldn’t score a goal between them in Cumbria and Mark Hughes’ team fell four points behind the Shrimps with the same number of matches played tonight. Although Tranmere gained a draw with a penalty after the Plastic People from Milton Keynes had taken the lead at Prenton Park, the single point narrowed the gap between them and Morecambe to just two. Accrington themselves are now just two places and two points better-off than the Shrimps as they fell to twenty-first place in the league as a result of their latest defeat.

This is what the King of Morecambe made of it after the game:

“It was a really good performance from us because we had to deal with the threat from Accrington. We know that they’re always a threat and Ryan Schofield made a great save. But in the end, the most important thing is to get the victory. You saw that Accrington were shocked by (the goal) because they couldn’t re-group after that and we really controlled the game. Now we’ve given ourselves an opportunity. We’ve closed the gap between ourselves and Accrington. We’ve closed the gap between ourselves and Tranmere. We’ve opened-up the gap between the team below us as well. That’s important with a victory today.”

Morecambe:  12 Ryan Schofield; 2 Luke Hendrie (C); 3 Adam Lewis (23 David Tutonda 80’); 5 Max Taylor; 7 Gwion Edwards (19 Marcus Dackers 75’); 8 Harvey Macadam; 10 Lee Angol (6 Jamie Stott 70’); 14 Rhys Williams; 16 Andy Dallas (33 Ged Garner 75’); 17 Paul Lewis; 20 Callum Cook (24 Yann Songo’o 80’).

Subs not used:  1 Harry Burgoyne; 18 Ben Tollitt.

Accrington Stanley: 13 Billy Crellin; 2 Donald Love (Y) (20 Charlie Brown 87’); 6 Liam Coyle (4 Conor Grant 61’); 7 Shaun Whalley; 8 Benjamin Woods (45 Ash Hunter 82’); 10 Alex Henderson (Y) (9 Kelsey Mooney 82’); 14 Benn Ward; 17 Devon Matthews; 23 Tyler Walton (Y) (18 Charlie Caton 62’); 24 Sonny Aljofree; 28 Seamus Conneely (C).

Subs not used: 1 Michael Kelly; 38 Connor O’Brien.

Ref: Andy Davies.

Att: 3,473 (496 from Accrington).